Vacuum-sweeper.



L J. MERITHEW.

VACUUM SWEEPER.

APPLICATION mm Nov.25, I916.

1,267,329. Patented May 21,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEE 1 v wrmzssss [J 1.). MEHITHEW,

VACUUM SWEEPER.

APPUCATIUR FILED NOV. 25. I916.

Patented May 21,1918

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR ATTORNEV JERRY J. MEBITHEW, OF AKRON, OHIO.

VACUUM-SWEEPEB.

Sprciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1918.

Application filed November 25, 1916. Serial No. 133,459.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JERRY J. MERITHEW, a citizen of the United States,residin at Akron, in the county of Summit and tate of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Sweepers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to vacuum sweepers, and it has particularreference to that class or type of vacuum sweepers which are manuallyoperated and in which a' fan drivenby hand actuated mechanism isutilized to set in motion a column of air whereby dust and sweepings areconveyed on a sweeper casing to a strainer.

The invention has for its object to produce a device of the classdescribed which will be of simple and improved construction and in whichthe swee er casing contains a rotary broom that is riven reversely tothe direction in which the sweeper casing is moved, said sweeper casingbeing formed with ducts adjacent to the two sides of the broom toreceive and convey the sweepings regardless of the direction ofmovement.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve theconstruction of the sweeper casing and related parts.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein eXhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within thescope of the claim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawingsa Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a vacuumsweeper constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, thbasing containing the fan and the drivingmechanism being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a front view bf the sweeper cas- Tig. 4 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 4-4111 Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 in Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by'likccharacters of reference.

The Sweeper housing, which is generally designated by A, comprises anouter casin 15 and an inner casing 16, said outer and inner casingsbeing approximately of cylindrical form and having bottoms cut away asat 17 and 18. The outer and inner casings, which are concentricallydisposed with respect to each other, are spaced apart so as to formfront and rear ducts or chambers 19, 20 which are of raduallyincreasingwidth from the ends of the housing to the longitudinal central medialline thereof where the said ducts merge with a tubuiar handle 21, asbest'seen in Fig. 6, said handle being connected with the outer casing15.

The housing A is rovided at the ends thereof with enlarge oblongportions 22 having heads 23 that afl'ord bearings for a shaft 24carrying a rotary brush 25. The

enlarged portions of the housing afi'ord bearings for the front wheelsor guide wheels 26 and for the rear wheels or driving wheels 27 fromwhich latter power is transmitted in any convenient manner to the brushcarrying shaft 24, the transmission being, however, of such a naturethat the brush carrying shaft will be rotated re versely to the rotationof the ground engaging drive wheels. In Fig. 4 of the drawings thetransmission has been shown as consisting of a crossed belt or cord 28,the same being trained over pulleys 29, 30, one of which is associatedwith the driving wheel 27, while the other is mounted on thebrushcarrying shaft.

The tubular handle 21 is extended upwardly, and it communicates at itsupper end with-a casing 31 in which a fan 32 is supported for rotation,said fan being mounted on a shaft 33 which receives motion from a shaft34 through the medium of a. train of gears 35, said gears beingaccommodated within a casing 36 which is preferably integral with thefan casing 31. The shaft 34 is provided with a crank 37, whereby it maybe manually rotated, said crank being provided with a handle 38. Thecasing 86 is provided with a handle 39 whereby the device may be guided.The fan casing has an outlet which communicates with a strainer 40, thesame consisting of a bag which may be constructed and supported in anyconvenient Ellll l tll known manner.

For the purpose of reinforcing the con struction of the device braces 41are provided that connect the tubular handle 21 and the enlarged portionof said handle wi h the enlaried portions 22 at the ends of the housingFrom the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawingshereto an nexed, the operation and advantages of lhis device will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.The parts are so arranged and proportioned that when the brush housingis supported on the wheels 26, 27, the rotary brush will properly engagethe surface of the ground when the device is pushed or moved either in aforward or in a rearward direction, the directionof rotation of thebrush being opposed to the direction of the general movement of thedevice thereby causing the sweepings to be directed into one of theducts 19 or 20, according to the direction of movement. A the same timethe fan is rapidly rotateu hy the means provided for the purpose, asuction being thereby set up whereby air entering through the inlets 17,18 will be drawn into the ducts 19, 20, where it becomes charged withthe sweepings and dust particles, the dust laden air being guidedthrough the tubular handle 21 to the fan casing 31, from which it isexpelled into the strainer. it is obvious that the train of gearswhereby the fan is driven may be so 1 proportioned as to impart to thefan any proper and desired speed, and that the general proportion andarrangement of parts constituting the device may be varied accord' lg tothe conditions under which the A device of the class describedcomprising a casing having its bottom cut away, a conduit on each sideof said casing tapering upwardly, said casing having an opening in itstop, a hollow handle halving the opening therein covering said openingin the casing and communicating with the conduits, an elongated easingat each end of the firstinentioned casing, a driving wheel and a pilotWheel in each casing, a brush in the first-mentioned casin a shafttherefor hav ing its ends extending into the elongated casings, and.means for connecting said shaft with the drivin wheel.

In testimony w iercof I aflix my signature.

JERRY J. MERITHEW.

